An Ecklie Doesn't Cry
by Isica
Summary: Epilogue to CSI Down. Ecklie visits his daughter. Sequel now up!
1. An Ecklie Doesn't Cry

An Ecklie Doesn't Cry

**Disclaimer:** These characters do not belong to me and never have.

Epilogue to CSI Down. Ecklie's POV.

He watched as Russell led her away.

He heard as she started sobbing, overcome by the shock.

He saw as Russell put his arm around her, saw her lean into him.

He felt relief that she was alive.

*******************************************************************************************************

He slumped down at his desk, drained by the day. To anyone who looked in, he was looking at the computer, seemingly buried in his work. In reality, he was turning events over and over in his mind.

She could have died. She nearly did. For the first time, he realised what Brass went through worrying about Ellie.

Morgan had been sent home to rest and relax after leaving the hospital. She intended to take a shower and clean off the dirt of the day. Then she would sit back, relax and watch a movie.

At least, that was what she intended. Just as she settled down on the sofa there was a knock at the door.

With a sigh, she stood up and went to the door. And paused on the threshold. 'Dad.'

'Morgan.' As per normal, Ecklie felt lost for words when addressing his daughter. He couldn't even explain why he was here. 'Can I come in?'

Silently, Morgan opened the door to its fullest extent. Ecklie took it as an invitation and stepped inside.

He looked around. It was the first time he had seen her apartment since she had arrived in Vegas. Ecklie nodded approvingly as he noted her sense of order and tidiness evident everywhere in her arrangement of ornaments and furniture, a trait that, like it or not, she had inherited from him.

Morgan came through and they stared awkwardly at each other.

She was the first to break the silence. 'So why are you here?'

Ecklie tried to put it into words his daughter would believe. 'I came to see you. See how you were doing.'

Despite her tiredness, Morgan snorted. 'Really? And when did you care?'

Ecklie sighed. 'Morgan, I'm not a monster. I've always cared about you. I always will. I just wanted to see you were okay.'

Morgan looked at her father. She saw the tiredness and worry from the day's events etched into his face. Even so, she couldn't bring herself to bridge the gulf that had grown between them over the past few years.

'Of course you did. And I'm fine. So you can go now.'

Ecklie took one last look at his daughter then turned and left the apartment.

It was only when he was sat inside his car that he realised the wetness on his cheek was not from any rain.

It must have been from the wind, he decided as he started the car. An Ecklie doesn't cry, he rationalised as he brushed away the tear with one hand.

From high above, unseen, Morgan watched as her father drove away. As he brushed his hand across his face, a silent tear trickled down her cheek.

**FINIS**


	2. Building Bridges

Building Bridges

**Disclaimer:** These characters do not belong to me and never have.

Epilogue to Malice in Wonderland. Spoilers inside.

It had been a funny old case, Morgan reflected as she left the crime lab. And not least by how it affected her relationship with her father.

In retrospect really, she should never have decided to pretend to be Hodges' girlfriend. However, she could totally understand why he felt the need to keep the pretence up; Hodges' mother was a nightmare. When it turned out she had invited Morgan's father to a meal out, she had felt like screaming. Waiting alone in the restaurant with her father for the pair of them to turn up had been one of the longest and most awkward silences imaginable. Her father had tried to break the ice, but the conversation had been a bit stilted to say the least. Still, at least it was over and she never had to pretend again!

Later, when they had rescued Hodges and his mother from the killers/kidnappers, she had presented her father with a bag of fast food and they had proceeded to eat together. Although their attention, by mutual consent, was focussed on the food, they had managed to pass pleasantries across the table. It wasn't much, but it was a start. After all, she hadn't had so much to say to her father in years.

She reached her car and got inside. She glanced across the car park and realised, to her surprise that her father was sitting in his car on his own.

Curious and slightly worried, Morgan got out of her car and crossed the car park to his car. He seemed to be looking down at something and didn't register her arrival.

As she got closer Morgan realised that her father was staring at a photograph. It was evidently, she could see through the window that it had started to yellow. Additionally, it had been well-thumbed; it was looking tattered around the edges.

She knocked on the car window and her father's head snapped up. He wound down the window. 'Morgan,' he began. 'Are you alright?'

But Morgan didn't answer. The lack of a window between them had cleared up her view of the photograph. It was of a much younger Ecklie and a small blonde girl smiling for the camera. The girl was sitting on Ecklie's lap, a huge smile on her face and in her hand she clutched an ice-cream cone. Her father also had ice-cream and he was gazing at the girl with an adoring expression on his face. Morgan looked at her father.

'Is that me?' she asked.

Ecklie looked sheepish. 'Yes,' he said. 'You were about four years old. It was a very hot day. We went to the park. We decided to have an ice-cream to cool off. Your mother took our photos.'

'And you've kept it all this time?' Morgan was amazed.

Ecklie sighed. 'Yes,' he admitted. 'Over the years, when we didn't speak, I'd keep it with me as a reminder of a time when things were happier.'

Morgan raised her eyebrows. Her father was actually talking about...his feelings.

Ecklie misunderstood her expression. 'You don't have to believe me Morgan, but I've always cared about you and I missed you.'

Morgan paused for a moment. Then, thankful no one else was around; she threw caution to the wind and hugged her father. Ecklie's head reeled before he immediately reciprocated and they hugged for the first time in a long time.

They broke apart, with identical embarrassed expressions on their faces.

'Wow, when did we last do that?' Morgan asked.

'A long time ago,' Ecklie replied. Then, summoning up the courage to address the issue he had neglected all year, he decided to go for it. 'Morgan, when I came to your apartment that time –'

'Yes?'

'I came because, well, I was worried about you. I needed to see if you were okay. That guy put you through hell that day and I went through hell not knowing. And when you went to Russell instead of me, your father, I guess I needed to see how you were for myself. You're my daughter and I love you.'

He said the last bit in a rush, not daring to meet her eyes. There was silence when he had finished and he risked a glance at her.

Morgan was staring at him, with suspiciously watery eyes. He got out of the car and stood next to her. She continued to stare at him. Concerned, he queried, 'Morgan, are you okay?'

She blinked furiously before replying. 'Yes, I'm fine. I just never really believed you still loved me because you never said it.'

Ecklie felt simultaneously appalled and guilty. 'Of course I loved you. It's just that Ecklies' don't do feelings very well.'

Morgan smiled as she rubbed her eyes. 'They don't cry either, do they? I must let the side down.'

Ecklie had to compose himself before replying; what he was about to say had always irritated him. 'Your surname's Brody. I guess that makes it acceptable.'

Putting an arm around her, he walked her to her car. As he turned around to leave he heard a small, 'Hey, coffee tomorrow?'

He allowed himself a smile. 'Sure,' he replied before heading home.

**FINIS**

**Authors Note:** Thank you for reading this story. Please go ahead and write a review, as this is my first CSI story and constructive advice is appreciated. I have really enjoyed the Ecklie dynamic this season, so this story may be the first of many.


End file.
